Utilities
electric · stormwater · wastewater · water
700 Wood Street
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 – fax
970.224.6003 – TDD
[email protected]
fcgov.com/utilities
MEMORANDUM
DATE:
March 17, 2010
TO:
Mayor and City Council Members
THRU:
Darin Atteberry, City Manager
FROM:
Brian Janonis, Utilities Executive Director
Patty Bigner, Utilities Customer and Employee Relations Manager
CC:
Affordable Housing Board
Air Quality Advisory Board
Building Review Board
Commission on Disability
Electric Board
Natural Resources Advisory Board
Planning and Zoning Board
Water Board
RE:
Green Building Program Quarterly Report
Purpose
The purpose of this First Quarter 2010 Report is to update City Council on progress related to
the development of the Green Building Program (GBP), in accordance with the direction
received at the January 12, 2010 City Council Work Session and the GBP elements (Figure 1).
Significant Events this Quarter
The following have been the focus for the 2010 GBP components during the first quarter:
• Developing work plans for the priority GBP elements: 1) Establish Green Building
Code; 2) Research and Document Local Costs and Benefits; 3) Develop Metrics and
Tracking System;
• Developing criteria and specific lists for three committees: 1) Residential Technical
Review Advisory Committee (R-TRAC); 2) Commercial Technical Review Advisory
Committee (C-TRAC); and 3) Green Building Program Advisory Committee
(GBPAC);
Green Building Program Quarterly Report
March 17, 2010
Page 2 of 6
•
•
•
•
•
•
Coordinating staffing requirements, including: 1) GBP administrative support staff
(Amada Sutton); 2) facilitation service provider for the three committees (Suzanne
Derkin-Schindler); and 3) analytical consulting services (Brendle Group);
Developing a consultant scope of work for the GBP element Research and Document
Local Costs and Benefits;
Staff planning meetings related to the GBP element Develop Metrics and Tracking
System;
Continued public outreach at green building community events;
Networking with: 1) Colorado and nationwide administrators of green building
programs; 2) senior staff with the International Code Council (ICC) regarding the
residential and commercial GB standards; and 3) metro Denver and front range
jurisdictional regional green building program effort—a Colorado Governor’s Energy
Office (GEO) funded initiative; and
Planning the April 2010 kickoff orientation meeting and ongoing committee (TRAC
and GBPAC) meetings.
Voluntary,
market-driven,
above-code
Regulation
• Provide incentives for projects
significantly exceeding minimum
codes
• Recognize GB innovation + success
• Provide education and training
• Establish GB code
• Research and document local
costs + benefits of GB
• Develop metrics and tracking system
Foundation
• Revise City policies / codes / processes
to address barriers and conflicts related
to GB
Figure 1: Green Building Program Elements
Green Building Program Quarterly Report
March 17, 2010
Page 3 of 6
Project Cost through March 2010
The table below provides a summary of the project costs for the GBP development project.
Description
Supplies (National GB Standard hard
copies for committee members, LEED
reference manuals)
GPB dedicated staff
Conference call with International
Code Council senior staff/Colorado
code officials
Total
Current
Quarter
$1,960
Year to Date
$1,960
$21,500
$30
$21,500
$30
$23,490
$23,490
The City’s work plans for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) were
approved on March 12. The funding and related financial tracking will be in place during the
week of March 22. This funding will cover GPB dedicated staff and other expenses related to
the GB code process.
Process and Anticipated Schedule
This section describes the project process, along with the anticipated schedule (Figure 2).
Interdepartmental Coordination
This is an interdisciplinary project that requires participation and engagement from
management and staff in several work areas, including: Utilities, Development Review,
Advance Planning, Historic Preservation, Natural Resources, Transportation, Operations
Services, Economic Development, and City Attorney staff.
The groundwork for collaboration and coordination was laid with a number of Energy Services
Green Building Team (GBT) meetings in Fall 2009, including a Green Building Retreat at the
end of November with representatives from the interdepartmental work groups. Since the
retreat, we have called on several staff members from other departments to help develop the
GBP framework and provide input as certain elements have begun to be defined.
Throughout the GBP process in 2010, we will continue to solicit assistance from staff
members, whose jobs and expertise bear on portions of this work, to develop an internal
seamless development review process, and, integrate the GBP with related city program and
policies.
The GBT has a standing agenda item at the monthly City staff Development Lead Team
meeting to provide regular updates and solicit assistance.
Green Building Program Quarterly Report
March 17, 2010
Page 4 of 6
Community Engagement
The overriding criterion for community engagement is transparency of process. We plan to
accomplish this with a multi-pronged approach:
• Public transparency. We will make program development information available to anyone
who is interested, via the City web site, on a close-to-real-time basis. We will be setting up a
system that electronically pushes information to interested stakeholders on a regular
schedule, as well as an e-mail link that provides an easy way for citizens to comment.
• TRAC committees. We’re recruiting two technical review advisory committees, composed
of volunteers with diverse opinions and expertise in residential and commercial building
industries, to make recommendations for adapting the two green building standards
consistent with our community values. The recommendations will be presented to Council
for their consideration. These committees will meet twice monthly for approximately six
months and longer if needed, led by GBT staff with a professional facilitator.
• GBPAC committee. We’re recruiting a high-level advisory committee that represents a
broad diversity of City staff and community stakeholders who have an interest in green
building practices and/or represent identified interests. We will keep them informed and ask
for input about the direction of the evolving GBP as a whole. Education about green
building practices will be part of the agenda. We will be meeting with this group four times
throughout the year, or as necessary, led by GBT staff with a professional facilitator.
• Open houses. As work on all the GBP elements progresses, we will host public houses to
report progress and solicit feedback.
• Boards and commissions. Interested boards and commissions, as copied on this report, will
receive these quarterly reports. We will also make presentations regarding the emerging
package to these and other interested boards and commissions.
• “Road show.” In the fall, we will present the emerging package to interested community
groups.
• Plan Fort Collins. We will coordinate GBP public outreach with Plan Fort Collins outreach.
GBP Elements
As described above, staff has identified three GBP elements as the highest priority for initial
development; 1) Establish Green Building Code; 2) Research and Document Local Costs and
Benefits; and 3) Develop Metrics and Tracking System.
Work on these three elements will also provide much insight into City process barriers,
education and training needs, and the basis for public recognition and incentives. The GBP will
be developed as an integrated package.
Green Building Program Quarterly Report
March 17, 2010
Page 5 of 6
Green Building-Construction Codes
The GB code process will involve two TRACS —one each for the residential and commercial
code— and a GBPAC (as noted above) to shape the code proposal for Council’s consideration.
These committees will be led by GBT staff with a professional facilitator. Feedback from
public outreach will also be incorporated. A consultant will provide analysis and data for this
process. Various City staff will be involved at different parts of the process as it relates to their
particular work and expertise.
The code review and development process will begin with an April 2010 kickoff event that
includes both TRACs, the GBPAC and City management whose work areas touch on green
building. At the kickoff event, an overview of the GBP, including the green building codes,
will be presented, along with the process that will be followed in adapting the model codes.
Draft code packages are targeted for public input in November, allowing the code proposals to
be finalized for Council consideration in early 2011.
Green Building Program Quarterly Report
March 17, 2010
Page 6 of 6
Figure 2: Green Building Program Schedule, Tasks and Milestones